This is made up of four separate sections, in three distinct tempi. Contrast here is all important, both between sections and within sections. The pedal markings will help you with that and the pedals (both soft and damper) should only be used as indicated.
The molto allegro passages should strongly rhythmical, but the middle sections (especially bars 54-91) can be played with much more rubato. Bars 41-53 could go at a variety of speeds – either faster or slower than my recording. There should be a clear slowing down to a new tempo at bar 54.
The overall feel of bars 54-91 should be tranquillo but contrast this with sudden points of agitato. Try to get the left hand accents onto the first and third notes of each bar in this section. Avoid a bump as you leap from the low note onto the second note of the bar.
The accelerando in bars 97-104 can go faster than Tempo I; it is not necessarily an accelerando to Tempo I, and there should be a definite break before the Tempo I section starts. The repeat of the opening idea (bars 105+) is intended to be louder than the beginning.
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Read more Performance Notes:
1. Bedtime
2. Midnight Snack
3. The Silver Moon
4. Raindrops
5. Lullaby
